Practice on a fabric panel so you can get the feel of working within borders and pieces without the work of piecing a practice quilt top. Angela’s Right Angles panel from her Textures collection for Art Gallery Fabrics[4] is a perfect choice.

See it in action! Click here[5] to see a video of Angela quilting this panel.

Begin with simple shapes to get the feel of moving your hands (if you’re using a long-arm quilting machine) or moving the fabric (if you’re quilting on a regular home-sewing machine or on a sit-down quilting machine). Repeatedly making figure eights or wishbone shapes will help you get into a rhythm.

Pair curved and straight lines for a little push-and-pull in your quilting. Closely spaced back and forth lines look almost dotted when stitched over a micro-dot fabric. A simple square chain in the alternate squares provides a lighter look.

See it in action! Click here[29] to see the Geometric Quilting Designs video.